What isn’t to like about cheesy broccoli and rice?? Even if you aren’t a broccoli fan, (like me!) this is hard to resist! Comfort food at it’s finest, with some tweaks to make it a little healthier!

After cooking up some brown rice and chopping some broccoli, I mixed them together in a greased casserole dish.

Meanwhile, I made a cheese sauce. I started by melting butter and stirring in flour. Then, I slowly stirred in milk and hot sauce. I usually struggle with making sauces from scratch, but today that was not the case!

After the sauce had thickened, I stirred in the shredded cheese and continued to stir until melted.

When the cheese sauce was done, I added it to the broccoli and rice, mixing all the way through.

I baked the rice for half an hour, then broiled for 5 minutes to brown the top.

After sitting for 5 minutes, it was time to dig in! The crispy top was amazing, and the cheese sauce was delicious!

All around an amazing dish that is a great alternative to the boxed version!

Cheesy Broccoli Rice

Servings: 4

• 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1/2 pound organic broccoli, steamed and chopped
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used Colby-Jack)

1. Mix rice and broccoli in greased casserole dish.
2. Melt butter in sauce pan.
3. Mix in flour, stirring constantly until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Slowly stir in milk and hot sauce, making sure to stir out any lumps. Stir constantly for about 3-5 minutes, or until sauce has thickened.
5. Add cheese into sauce, stir until cheese is completely melted.
6. Stir cheese sauce into rice and broccoli, mixing well.
7. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, then broil for 3-5 minutes to brown the top.